Madera settles suit over stun gun mistake

MADERA (AP) - The city of Madera will pay $775,000 to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by the family of a man fatally shot by a police officer who grabbed her firearm instead of a Taser stun gun.

The Fresno Bee reports (http://bit.ly/1g571aJ ) the settlement was reached Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Fresno as lawyers prepared for jury selection in the trial of Officer Marcy Noriega.

Noriega accidentally shot and killed 24-year-old Everardo Torres in 2002 as he tried to kick out the windows of a police cruiser following his arrest for unruly behavior at a party. She had meant to grab her Taser but grabbed her gun instead.

The jury would have had to decide whether Noriega's mistake involved an unreasonable use of force.

Both sides called it a fair settlement.

Noriega is still on the force.

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Madera settles suit over stun gun mistake

MADERA (AP) ? The city of Madera will pay $775,000 to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by the family of a man fatally shot by a police officer who grabbed her firearm instead of a Taser stun gun.